


Birds of a Feather

by xsilverdreamsx



Series: Of Miracles and Daemons [1]
Category: His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Daemons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-25
Updated: 2012-11-25
Packaged: 2017-11-19 12:38:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xsilverdreamsx/pseuds/xsilverdreamsx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takao's daemon settles, and everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birds of a Feather

**Author's Note:**

> Horribly self-indulgent HDM Au because of reasons.  
> Also, I typed this out on the iPad so there might be mistakes (keyboards, omg, I miss them), which I apologize for in advance.

No one is surprised when Takao's daemon finally settles into her shape, wings tucked close to her body as she nuzzles against Takao's neck. He pats the hawk's head affectionately, feeling the warmth and love flowing through their bond.

He's only 14, but he already sees the world differently with Mirah by his side, sharp and clear and he wonders if this is what it feels like to fly, to see everything from above.

*

He encounters the famous Generation of Miracles during a middle school basketball match and wonders if it's possible to beat them. Mirah scoffs at his worry, but he hushes her and sets her aside before taking off his jacket.

"I don't see why I can't join you out there, " she grumbles when he steps towards the section put aside for their daemons. The argument is old, and tiresome, but rules are rules and daemons are banned from the court for fear of cheating.

Instead of answering, he opts for scratching the spot behind her head and pushes her beak against his palm as if demanding for more. Sometimes he wonders if she should have been a cat after all.

*

Takao's team loses the match, and his team mates are emotionally beaten. But he only has eyes for the tall player, who had stood there in the middle of the court, his green hair barely even ruffled as he scored each three pointer calmly.

Takao watches as the player's daemon slinks up behind him, his tail puffed up in pride and danger, as if to warn anyone else away from touching his human. Takao makes a promise to himself that he will win this player again someday.

*

"Shin-chan-".

"Stop calling me that," Midorima Shintarou of the Generation of Miracles snaps out. 

Takao gives him a grin. Mirah makes a laughing sound and clacks her beak together.

"Shin-channn," she mimics, this time addressing Midorima's daemon.

The daemon, a male peacock, looks visibly offended and screeches in response at Mirah.

"And don't call Shinzawai that either!" Midorima adds before Miyaji threatens to throw a pineapple at him for being noisy.

Takao reflects on the irony of the situation. After all, it's not every day that one discovers the person he had chosen as a rival back in middle school is now part of his high school basketball team.

It could almost be called fate, except that Takao doesn't believe in fate.

Not yet, anyway.

*

Midorima is still prickly and arrogant around the edges but Takao sees more than that. He stays back and practices hard, doesn't give up when everyone else has done so. Even though the other members of the team find his character annoying and his superstitiousness stifling, Takao bears it all with grace.

It's almost amusing how things turn out. Takao recalls his own promise, made not so long ago to treat Midorima as his rival, but now, with Midorima as a team mate, things are different. 

Takao decides that if he can't be Midorima's rival, he'll work hard to be his equal.

*

"Why a peacock?" Takao asks out of curiosity one day, when he's slumped over the handlebars of the rickshaw trying to catch his breath. 

When Midorima doesn't answer, Takao turns around, ready to repeat himself. 

"Because it suits him" is what he hears, and for the first time ever he sees a gentle expression on Midorima's face as Shinzawai settles down next to him, resting his head on Midorima's lap.

If he looks at Midorima a little differently, if his heart clenches a little more after that day, Takao never admits it.

*

A daemon, as anyone will tell you, is nothing more than a physical manifestation of a soul. To know what a person is truly like, on the inside, you only have to look at their daemon. 

Shinzawai is proud and elegant and takes the time everyday to preen his feathers, spreading them out in a splendid display. It never fails to create a sense of awe and jealousy amongst the other players and other daemons. 

Much like how Midorima's flawless form and perfect three-pointer scores on the court are the envy of his peers and rivals.

But Takao knows that beneath the layer of perfection beats a lonely but kind heart. He's seen how Shinzawai protects Mirah when she gets picked on by the other daemons.

He wonders if Midorima will ever do the same for him, and is struck by the thought that he cares more for Midorima, perhaps more than what is proper.

*

The first time it happens, it's like an electric shock that travels through the bond and along his spine.

"Mirah," he utters out, watching Midorima's eyes widen, looking on in shock as Mirah nuzzles his taped fingers. "You're not supposed to-to-"

"Why not? I like him," she tells Takao. "So do you, I believe," she adds, and Takao blushes. 

Spreading her wings a little, she eyes Midorima, who picks up on the hint and trails his fingers across them, straightening out any stray feathers.

Takao shivers, feeling every single touch, every ghostly stroke.

Midorima looks up and catches Takao's eyes just then, and Takao forgets to breath.

"But-" Takao's voice trails off when Shinzawai pushes his head onto Takao's lap, waiting.

Touching someone else's daemon is taboo, and can be a horribly unpleasant experience for both daemon and human. Yet, as Takao slides his hand over Shinzawai's soft feathers, listening to him hum and watching as Midorima's breathing quickens, he wonders how this could be a bad thing, this form of intimacy between them.

Midorima kisses the way he plays basketball, brief, precise, but when Takao grips his hair and slips his tongue into his mouth, he forgets his reserve and presses Takao down onto the bed.

The night is spent exploring these new sensations, and by the time dawn breaks, they fall asleep in each other's arms, their daemons curled up beside them.

*

"Is that normal," Kimura mutters as he watches Mirah and Shinzawai cuddling up to each other while Midorima and Takao sit side-by-side on the bench arguing over that day's lucky item, which looks to be a peacock's feather.

Ootsubo glances over and makes a pained expression. "I don't even want to know," he answers.

They stare as Midorima scratches Takao's daemon behind her head, something that's only reserved for lov-

"Nevermind," Kimura says as Miyaji starts muttering about throwing pineapples. He pauses and then adds, "You can do that if we lose today's match."

Shutoku High doesn't lose.

When Takao plants one on Midorima's lips after the match for a victory kiss, however, Miyaji throws his bag at them anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Will probably post more parts of the other members of GoM and their daemons...
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just playing in the sandbox.


End file.
